Hike from picturesque and gorgeous Dudhsagar waterfall to Kuveshi - Goa Trek - Day 5

Day five of the Goa Trek organized by the Youth Hostels Association of India was, in my opinion, the most anticipated of all. We had covered more than 12 kilometers of the trek, including the very famous Dudhsagar waterfall, tunnels, crossing the bridge that goes right across the waterfalls, then the steep climb to the tip of the waterfall and swimming nearby, followed by a long walk all the way to Kuveshi, which is in Karnataka. On day five, we begin our walk in Goa at the Dudhsagar campground and finish in Karnataka at Kuveshi.

How can I go to Dudhsagar waterfall?

We walked for the Dudhsagar waterfalls after receiving stern instructions from our camp leader at Dudhsagar camp (related: how to approach Dudhsagar campground). But first, we had to cross a brook and then follow the jeep trail. We get our first view of the upper section of Dudhsagar waterfall on the approach, right before the main entrance to Dudhsagar. Continue walking until you reach the end of the jeep path. You may either climb to the overlook for a better view of the falls or continue the route to the waterfalls.

Can I swim at Dudhsagar waterfall Goa?

This is a well-kept tourist attraction. Cross the two iron bridges until you reach a vantage point from where you can see the entire cascade. Take a few photos and continue walking until you reach the foot of the waterfalls. This location may be a little congested. Swimming is permitted inside the designated safe zone area at this location. Wait a bit till you see the train crossing the bridge high above, and don't forget to take the classic photo that you've seen on the internet. The place may remain closed at any time (usually during monsoon because of heavy rain and it's dangerous to swim).

Crossing the bridge right across the waterfalls

Return to the spot at the viewpoint where there is a split to the left after spending some time at the Dudhsagar waterfalls. The following 30 minutes of the route are filled with thorns and palm palms, with a sharp ascent to the railway track. Continue walking to the left until you reach the tunnel. You may need a torch because it is very dark and a snake-infested area, however, I did not spot any.

Trains travel through the tunnel typically every 20 minutes, so move swiftly through it. Some individuals may feel suffocated within the tunnel, and there isn't much room to stand on the sides while the train passes. The first tunnel, number 12, is around 90 meters long, while the second tunnel, number 13, is 45 meters long, with a sinkhole appearing between the two tunnels.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ravindra Joisa (@ravindra_joisa)

We were back in Dudhsagar, but at a different elevation, somewhere in the middle where the railway runs, shortly after passing through the second tunnel. The view from here is quite spectacular. The deep, dense rain forest that we've been exploring for many days is on the left, and the tallest half of the waterfalls is to the right. The waterfall's base is to the left, and it is considerably lower than what we had walked earlier in the morning.

There is little camping space near the bridge, and this camping location is generally closed, so you may be out of luck if you want to stay near the Dudhsagar waterfalls. Check with the local forest service for permission before camping, since the region is periodically prohibited.

The waterfalls were dry when we came during the Christmas holidays. This area has been abandoned, and you may see the ruins as well as the badly maintained vistas and steps leading under the bridge. Most sections have red flags because this region is extremely dangerous, and no one should attempt to enter the water near the railway track. There were nearly 100 fatalities reported.

Continue walking down the track until you reach Tunnel 14, which is a curving 110-meter-long tunnel. An ancient abandoned railway post with accommodations may be found at the other end of the tunnel. Enter this area and escape from the other side as we continue to climb upward through the forest above the tunnel to reach the waterfall's peak/mouth. Continue for another hour or so. As you travel up the route, you receive a mobile signal in between.

As we neared the summit, we were denied access to the waterfall's mouth for unknown reasons, and we were fortunate to come across a hawker selling chilly beverages and bananas at three times the typical price. We didn't mind paying because it was much needed after a long uphill journey.

We continued further for a while till we reached the stream where we took a long break. We hWe carried on for a bit until we arrived at the creek, where we had a long break. We had a lot of fun in the water and ate our lunch near to the stream. We kept walking for another hour into the Karnataka jungle till we arrived at the Kuveshi camp, the highest point of our entire hike.

You may see a few human villages and paddy fields here. We set a tent in one of these paddy fields. This campground is connected via a jeep trail. We arrived early and spent the night at the campground. On the next day, we go from Kuveshi to Anmod via Castlerock.

Commonly asked questions

What is the cost of Dudhsagar waterfall?

The admission fee to Dudhsagar Falls from Castle Rock is around INR 400. The best spot to grab a ride is the Dudhsagar Falls jeep booking center, or the Dudhsagar jeep taxi stand, where you can book your jeep the quickest.

What is the best time to visit dudhsagar?

During the monsoon, you will behold nature's ultimate splendor. So, from July to October, or during and after the monsoon, is the best time to see this waterfall. Can we take bath in Dudhsagar Falls? - The above pictures are from the end of December and the water level is low, ideal if you want to swim at the base of the waterfall.

So, Is Dudhsagar waterfall worth visiting? - The 'Dudhsagar Falls' is worth seeing, especially during the rainy season. It has its own unique beauty. Check the complete details of 10 days Goa trekking expedition. Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Buy me a coffee to support my work or you can go to my store to buy some of my images. Also, do not forget to join my FriendZone by signing up for my newsletter. Consider subscribing to my YouTube channel.

Wonderful experience hiking the Dudhsagar trail full of streams - Goa Trek - Day 4

The fourth day of our Goa hike is the Dudgsagar trail from Cansaulim to Dudhsagar camp was a lot of fun. After spending the entire day on day 3 in Benaulim, Cansaulim beach, and so on, day 4 was very different because the entire Dudhsagar trail was in the forest. The first 45 kilometers were via railway, followed by a muddy jeep route and seven stream crossings in the forest. On this day, we don't get to view the Dudhsagar waterfall, but we do arrive at the campground, which is quite near to the Dudhsagar waterfalls.

The entire 10-kilometer route runs beside a railway track, and even if you can't see the track, you can clearly hear the freight train honking and making loud noises from its engines. On the fourth day, you will pass the most streams. The water in the streams comes from the Dudhsagar falls, and our hiking zigzag trail runs parallel to the stream, railway track, and jeep road.

Hike from Colem railway station

We arrived at Colem railway station and proceeded to cross the track to the opposite side. Most visitors drive a jeep from here all the way to the Dudhsagar waterfalls. This is the final shopping area as well as the last residential section. We took the jeep track and went through the dirt. The first stream crossing was only a ten-minute walk away from the taxi stand. There are far too many jeeps carrying visitors over this brook. We continued on the muddy jeep path after crossing the stream until we reached the main entrance.

Dudhsagar trail - Multiple Stream crossing

Purchase a forest entry ticket. You are entering the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park. Our path weaved in and out of the jeep route, alongside a railroad track, and through various streams. As you will be crossing seven streams in the Dudgsagar trail, it is best not to wear hiking shoes and to wear something that can be readily removed. Along the route, you'll witness a few viewpoints along the stream, as well as man-made check dams and wooden bridges.

Dudhsagar waterfall campsite

Continue on the Dudgsagar trail till you reach the campground in Dudhsagar. We saw a Hornbill bird and a large brown squirrel with a whitetail in the campground. This campground has an antique home as well as beetle nut farming. The brook where you may take a bath is right next to the campground (remember not to use soap when you hike with YHAI or even otherwise).

It may be chilly here at Dudhsagar campground at night, and you can hear the train making too much noise and using its Doppler effect when it enters the tunnel and travels far away. The train does a U-turn around the campground and begins to ascend. The train may be seen moving far above and entering and exiting the tunnel. It used to be completely silent for a time, then there would be a boom of sound from the engines when the train exited the tunnel.

We heard a peculiar noise late at night that was thought to be deer. We were fortunate to have an LED light in our tent since someone in our hiking party brought a 5-kilogram battery all the way. It was entertaining. To get a sense of the hiking path, watch the video below. The hiking trail shown here is also known by the name Dudhsagar hiking trail or Dudhsagar trekking route, as people come here just to hike the Dudhsagar.

Climbing the Dudhsagar waterfall

The Dudhsagar waterfall path will be covered on Day 5 of the Goa trip. The walk begins with a visit to the foot of the waterfall, which is a popular tourist destination. We hiked up to the railway track and entered the middle section of the waterfall, then continued the hiking route along the railway track, traversed a few caves, and climbed up to the waterfall's mouth. For more details check - Day 5 – Dudhsagar camp to Kuveshi.

Check the complete details of 10 days Goa trekking expedition. Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Buy me a coffee to support my work or you can go to my store to buy some of my images. Also, do not forget to join my FriendZone by signing up for my newsletter. Consider subscribing to my YouTube channel.